Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Friday condemned the twin blasts in the Maharashtra town of Malegaon and asked people to maintain peace and harmony.
"Gandhi has expressed deep shock and anguish over the dastardly incident. She has described it as an act of cowardice and asked people to maintain peace, patience and harmony", Party spokesman Satyavrata Chaturvedi told reporters.
He said such incidents would further strengthen the party's resolve to confront terrorism.
Gandhi also expressed sorrow over the loss of numerous lives in the coal mine accident in Dhanbad.
The Lok Sabha Speaker also expressed shock and sorrow over the loss of innocent lives in the explosions.
In a message sent form Abuja, Nigeria, where he is attending the 52nd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, Chatterjee conveyed his deep sympathies to the members of the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Thirty-seven people were killed and 100 others were injured in two blasts in the communally-sensitive town of Malegaon on Friday afternoon.